Arch-support.



W1 M. SCHULL.

ARCH suPPonT I APPLICATION FILED JUNEZS, 1916.

"im" l Patented Apr. 17, 1917.

arch supports, and has. for its iran Wiseman n. serions, or carene-io, intr-ners.

MGH-SUPPGRTL To all 'whom t may concesse:

Be it known that l, WILLIAM M. SoHoLL, acitizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of @ook and State of illinois, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Arcli- Supports, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to improvements in object to provide an arch support construction particularly useful in the relie'i` or correction of cases ,of Mortons toe of the transverse arch normally formed by the anterior portion of the metatarsals.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings z- Figure 1 is a plan viewwith parts broken away, of anr arch support embodying my invention. A

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. l,

Figs. 3 and @are transverse sections on linesfS-S and 4-#4 respectively.

1n the embodiment oi my invention shown l employ' a main arch plate l0 arched longi-` tudinally between its rear and front bear-v ing edges, ll, and l2, so that When in the shoe, (as suggested in Fig. 2,) it will. span from the heel portion of the shoe to the sole portion of the shoe, thereby to bridge the shank ot' the shoe without throwing material strain thereon. rl`his main plate` may, throughout its `heel and shank portions, con-` form in longitudinal and lateral curvatures to the underside of a normal foot, and is preferably aiiixed, as by rivets 13 to a leathereover piece la that is suitably shaped to aid in positioning the appliance in the shoe of the wearer. Such leather piece, as in usual practice, preferably has itsn'ear edge 15 arranged to abut against the couir ter-portion ol the shoe so as accurately to define the longitudinal position of the appliance'and its front edge, l5', skived as usual, extends under the ball of the foot. Thus appropriately positioned inthe shoe, the front end l2 ofthe main arch plate preferably lies a material distance in rear of vthe metatarso-phalangeal articulations, and an adjustable extension plate lf3 is combined with the main plate to extend. the area throughout which the foot receives metallic support forward to approxiniately the head processes oli the nictatarsals. lt is my prei'- erence that the main arch plate he ol' {ierinaneilver, relatively thick for considerable rigidity, while the extension plate is of or breaking down area of Specieation of Letters Batent. Patent-,ait Apr, 17, 1917, Application lecl June 23, 1918. Serial No. 105,843.

thinner metal and has materially greater re siliency, and preferably the extension-plate is associated with the limited play to its elasticity. Thus the tension' plate 16 has a Wide bearing edge 17 at its forwardv end, preferably curved convexly for approximate conformation to the curve of the metatarsal heads, and itpreferably tapers rearwardly to a narrower bearing area 18 at the apex of which it is connected with the main plate as by a rivet 19 well in rear of the extremity 12 of said main plate.- ln effect, therefore, the extension-plate structure stands as an end-sup ported spring, at one end adapted to bear on the shoe and the other end bearing on a portiono'l the main plate between the ends of the latter and preferably approximately centrally of the transverse span of saidanain plate.

The extension plate thus arranged is prei erably of generally triangular form for ap-v proximate vconformity to the shape of the super-jacent plantar lligaments of the foot,

'and in practice l usually prefer to make the transverse extent of the anterior bearing of main plate to give*w exsuch plate approximately vto conform to the the second, third and fourth inetatarsals. l also `prefer to provide in the extension plate a hump 20 having a convexity in excess of that required for the mere conformity to the proximate surface of the normal foot, so as to exert a positive upward pressure adjacent the head of one or more selected metatarsals. The perimetral portions of the extension plate, throughout so muchv thereof as is normally free from bearing on 'the main plate, are preferably curved downwardly, as at 2l, thereby both to avoid abrupt shoulders in the appliance that might give discomfort and to give to the extension plate a degree of resiliency within its own slightly-cupped area.

As a matter of desi erably make th vary the location of the hump its restorative upward pressure may be primarily exerted beneath the anterior portion of either the second, third or fourth metatarsals, and to this end l. preferably 'use rivet i9 as a pivot, and provide in the main plate depressions adapted to be engaged by a spur 23 appropriately provided in the extension plate to register therewith The projection 'of the springg'extensirm plate beyond the forward bearing edge ol icc i Z0 so that iio the main arch plate insures adequate but yielding support to the aliiected portion of the foot :tor curative effect and comfort in cases oi' Filiortons teef7 the springiness of the extei'ision plate giving it the facility first to yield for perimetral Contact with proximate portions ot' the main plate, with a further but less sensitive yie'lclability in` decreasing,r the curvature of the extension plate itseli". lian-thermom, the partial independence oi' action of the extension plate and main plate enables the shoes of the wearer' to flex at a, point farther back on the sole than would be the case if the inain plate were rigidly extended to the full area covered by the extension plate. Many other and further advantages of the strutture will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will be understood that while I have scribed in some detail a particular einbodi nientl of my invention for purposes of full disclosure. it is capable of many changes of structural detail and arrangement without departure from the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is :-l-

l. In a device of the character described, a. main plate provided with i'ront and rear bearing surfaces and adapted to span across i the shank of a shoe from heel to ball thereof,

and an extension plate arranged to bear at` its rear end on the main plate between the ends of the latter and at its front end arranged to bear on the sole of the shoe and to underliethe anterior portion of the metatarsals, said extension late being pivotally mounted on the main p ate.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a main arch plate for spanning the shank of a shoe, and an eX- tension platehaving a rear portion bearing upon the main plateand having its front portion extending beyond said main plate, to rest upon the sole of the shoe, saifdaxten sion plate heilig relatively resilient and said main plate relatively stiff, whereby said extension plate may yield toward the main plate and said extension plate havingla hump near its front end curved in excessof,

any normal curvature of the foot. i

et. rThe' combination'with a main plate adapted to span the shank of a shoe with its rear end arranged to be aositioned materially inni-ear of the heads o the metatarsals of the wearer, and a resilient extension plate bearing at its rear end on the main plate and at its forward end arranged to bear on the shoe and otherwise normally free from contact with subja-cent parts, the forward end of said extension plate arranged for location near the heads ot' the metatarsals, said extension plate being resilient lengthwise between its bearing portions, andl down-bent'at its side edges for resiliency within its own area, whereby the said plate niay first yield into contact the main plate and further by its spreading action.

In testimony whereof I hereuntovset my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM lM. SCHOLL.

In the presence ot- STANLEY IV. Coon, MARY l". ALLEN. 

